Make Your Own Loc Jewelry

Loc jewelry is cool and all but its not for everybody!

𝐒𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐋𝐃 𝐘𝐎𝐔 𝐖𝐄𝐀𝐑 𝐋𝐎𝐂 𝐉𝐄𝐖𝐄𝐋𝐑𝐘? Its not recommended to do so if you are less than 6 months loc'd. The reasons are obvious. The loc isn't strong enough yet to hold the jewelry. Its really important around this new time to be careful with your new locs. And putting heavy objects on them is 𝐍𝐎𝐓 being careful. And can cause breakage.

𝐈'𝐌 𝐌𝐎𝐑𝐄 𝐓𝐇𝐀𝐍 𝟔 𝐌𝐎𝐍𝐓𝐇𝐒 𝐋𝐎𝐂'𝐃, 𝐈 𝐂𝐀𝐍 𝐃𝐎 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒, 𝐑𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓? Maybe, but as an added measure consult with your loctician before proceeding. 𝘠𝘖𝘜 𝘏𝘈𝘝𝘌 𝘉𝘌𝘌𝘕 𝘞𝘈𝘙𝘕𝘌𝘋.......

𝐖𝐇𝐘 𝐀𝐌 𝐈 𝐃𝐎𝐈𝐍𝐆 𝐈𝐓? Because I can? No. I'm almost a year loc'd so my hair is telling me its a tough cookie and can handle it. I don't have a loctitian, but have asked a loctician since this video and got a thumbs up. I just wanted to make sure!

What You’ll Need to Make Your Own Loc Jewelry

Gathering your supplies is always the fun part. You can be as simple or as fancy as you want. Here are some essentials you’ll need:

Wire

For this project, I’m using a mix of 18-gauge and 20-gauge wire. I like copper or gold-colored wire because it’s durable and looks great against my locs. You can also use aluminum wire, which is more affordable but tends to be temporary. The thicker wire holds its shape better, so I wouldn’t recommend going lower than 18-gauge for loc jewelry.

Beads

Beads are where you can let your creativity shine! The beauty of using beads in loc jewelry is that they can be anything you have on hand. I’ve had beads donated to me, so I’m using some mystery gems from my collection. You can use glass beads, wooden beads, shells—whatever suits your style. I’ll put some links to bead suggestions in the description box below so you can find exactly what you need.

Tools

• Pliers: You’ll need a pair of regular pliers for bending the wire and making loops.

• Wire Cutters: A must-have for cutting your wire to size.

• Mandrel or Jump Ring Tool: I use a jump ring mandrel for creating spirals and loops. It helps keep everything neat and even.

Okay, we’ve got the supplies, now let’s talk about how to put it all together! Link to complete list is below!

Step-by-Step Guide to Crafting Loc Jewelry

Step 1: Wrapping Your Beads

To get started, we need to wrap our beads in wire to make them ready to attach to your locs. You can either use a piece of wire to create a loop at one end of the bead or use headpins, which come pre-looped at one end. I like to wire wrap mine because it gives the jewelry a handcrafted feel.

Here’s how you do it:

1. Cut a piece of wire and create a small loop on one end using your pliers.

2. Slide your bead onto the wire.

3. Wrap the wire around itself a few times to secure the bead in place.

Step 2: Making Spirals and Loops

Next up is creating the spiral design that gives loc jewelry its signature look. You’ll want to use your mandrel or jump ring tool to make loops in the wire:

1. Take your wire and start coiling it around the mandrel, forming a spiral. Keep your loops close together and neat for a more polished look.

2. If your locs are small and thin like mine, you’ll want to make the loops smaller so the jewelry fits snugly. If your locs are thicker, go for larger spirals.

3. Once you’ve created your spiral, leave a little extra wire at the end to make a loop. This is where you’ll attach your bead.

Step 3: Attaching Your Beads

Now it’s time to bring everything together! Take the bead you wrapped earlier and slide it onto the loop at the end of your spiral. Use your pliers to close the loop securely. You can make multiple beads for one piece of jewelry or keep it simple with just one statement bead.

Step 4: Fitting Your Loc Jewelry

The best part about DIY loc jewelry is that it’s customizable to your own locs! To fit your jewelry:

1. Find the loc where you want to place the jewelry.

2. Gently slide the spiral over your loc until it sits where you want it.

3. Once it’s in place, you can squeeze the bottom of the spiral a bit to ensure it stays secure.

And that’s it! You’ve just made your first piece of loc jewelry. How easy was that?

Pro Tips for Making Loc Jewelry

• Choose durable wire: Especially if you want your jewelry to last, go for copper or thicker gauge wire that can handle the wear and tear of daily life.

• Be mindful of the size of your locs: My locs are pretty small, so I make sure my spirals are tight. If your locs are thicker, you can make bigger loops to accommodate them.

• Mix and match materials: Don’t be afraid to get creative. Use shells, feathers, or other unique items you have lying around. It’s your loc jewelry—make it as personal as you want!

I hope this guide has inspired you to create your own stunning loc jewelry. Whether you’re just starting your loc journey or you’ve been on it for years, loc jewelry is a beautiful way to express your individuality. Remember, you don’t need to follow any strict rules—just have fun with it.

As always, I’ve linked all the supplies I used above, so you can grab what you need and get started on your own loc jewelry adventure. If you try this out, be sure to tag me on social media—I’d love to see what you create!

Until next time, stay crafty my friends and keep those locs shining!

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